Six days of scheduled racing delivered a dramatic mix of conditions: four windless days, one with light breeze, and one marked by fierce, gusting winds. In essence, the championship distilled the full meteorological character of Qingdao into a single regatta—fog, stillness, swarms of insects, drifting ocean debris, unpredictable currents, and, finally, today’s howling 40-knot squall.
A total of 237 athletes from 49 nations were tested both physically and mentally. Enduring long delays, abrupt wind shifts, intense tactical demands, and a relentless dialogue with the elements—this week will remain etched in their memories.
Gold for France and the Netherlands
Reigning European Bronze medalist Louise Cervera FRA claimed the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship title today after six races over the final two days of competition. Entering the last day in second place overall, she rose to the occasion: “I honestly can’t believe this happened,” Louise said. “I was just trying to do my best. My first race wasn’t great, but I pushed myself harder after that. I felt really in tune with the wind shifts, and my downwind was especially strong. This gives me so much confidence for the Los Angeles Olympics in three years.”
In the ILCA 7 fleet, the World Championship title went to Willem Wiersema NED, a well-known presence on the circuit who claimed his first major international title this week. The 23-year-old sailor from the Netherlands claimed the championship today with just 11 points. “I’m really happy today,” he said. “Yesterday I didn’t have a great first race, but I opened myself up to a new day, new pressure, and just went for it. Qingdao is a big and surprising city—it feels fresh and exciting. I’m really proud to be the World Champion here.”
Five out of six medals for Europe
It was an outstanding championship for European sailors, who secured five of the six available medals in the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes. Both Gold and Silver medals went to European nations, along with one of the Bronzes.
Agata Barwinska POL and Pavlos Kontides CYP took the Silver prizes, while Eve McMahon IRL earned Bronze in the women’s fleet. The men’s Bronze went to Zac Littlewood from Australia.
Taking a broader view across both final Top 10 rankings, 16 of the 20 places were claimed by European sailors—an impressive mark, especially considering the event was held far from home.
Below are the final top results in both classes.
2025 ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship results
- Louise Cervera FRA
- Agata Barwinska POL
- Eve McMahon IRL
- Anna Munch DEN
- Matilda Nicholls GBR
- Maxime Jonker NED
- Elyse Ainsworth AUS
- Charlotte Rose USA
- Ebru Bolat ROU
- Chiara Benini ITA
2025 ILCA 7 World Championship results
- Willem Wiersema NED
- Pavlos Kontides CYP
- Zac Littlewood AUS
- Jonatan Vadnai HUN
- Finley Dickinson GBR
- Elliot Hanson GBR
- Michael Beckett GBR
- Stefano Peschiera PER
- William De Smet BEL
- Yigit Yalcin Citak TUR
Upcoming Events – All Eyes on the European Championships
As the season continues, the top ILCA sailors are setting their sights on the next major challenges in Europe. First comes Kiel Week in Germany this June, the third stage of the Sailing Grand Slam and a key stop on the competitive calendar.
The spotlight, however, will be on the 2025 ILCA Senior European Championships & Open European Trophy, the most important continental title of the year and a major milestone on the road to global success for both Senior and Under 23 sailors. This edition will mark the first time the championship awards U23 European titles.
The event will take place in Marstrand, Sweden, from August 9–16. Applications are now open – Visit the official event website for further information.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
The EurILCA Team
Report by Agustín Argüelles – EurILCA | Photos by Kong XiangJing – via ILCA.
